1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of musical instruments and more particularly to a novel foot actuated mechanism for beating a bass drum.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A foot actuated bass drum pedal assembly is commonly used by percussionists to strike a bass drum musical instrument. Bass drums are available in different diameters causing the target area on the face of the drum to be located different distances from its supporting surface. This variability in distance, because of the different diameters of drums, makes it necessary to be able to adjust the length of the bass drum beater head mounted to the bass drum pedal assembly. For best sound production the beater head should strike the drum at a preferred location.
Percussionists also like to adjust the sounds created by the bass drum beater head by striking the bass drum face in different locations. This makes it necessary to be able to adjust the position of the bass drum beater head within the bass drum pedal assembly in order to strike the drum face at different locations on the drum face.
Percussionists also like to adjust the speed of the swinging bass drum beater head within the bass drum pedal assembly. Adjusting the length that the beater head extends from the pedal assembly causes the speed or tempo of the produced sound to change.
Also bass drum faces wear in the area being struck by the bass drum beater head. Constantly beating the drum face in the same location can cause premature failure of the tightly stretched membrane that constitutes the drum face. This premature failure can be avoided by changing striking locations. Adjusting the beater head up or down to strike at a different area of the bass drum face allows the percussionist to obtain more usage out of the drum face before requiring replacement of the membrane.
Also bass drum beater heads can have multiple contact surfaces where the different surfaces are constructed with different materials or have different configurations each of which create a different sound as the beater head strikes the drum face. In the prior art if the back side of the beater head was desired to be used instead of the front side, the drummer had to loosen a set screw, remove the beater head, turn it around and reinstall it. This is time consuming and cannot be accomplished when playing a song. Further to use a different beater head makes it necessary to also remove one beater head from the drum pedal and install another beater head into the pedal assembly. This replacement of beater heads in the prior art requires again loosening a set screw, which permits the installed beater head to be removed and a different beater head installed. Loosening of the set screw requires a tool called a “key”. The drummer will need both hands to loosen the set screw with the key, remove the installed beater head and then place the different beater head in position and reinstall the set screw. This change of beater heads is time consuming and cannot be performed while the drummer is performing. At times a drummer would like to change a beater head between performing songs.